“We've moved guys around quite a bit to get our best nine guys in the lineup.”
Brian Hartman
“We've got a ... lineup that you can move them around any which way you want, ... This is probably the only club I've ever managed that nobody has come in and said 'I have trouble hitting in this spot' or 'I need to hit here' or whatever. That, for a manager, makes just dealing with a lot of things easier.”
Joe Torre
“We mixed the lineup to try to protect [Mauer] just a little bit and put somebody behind him they at least have to think about. When he gets an opportunity to swing, he does pretty good.”
Ron Gardenhire
“That's a tough lineup. To get a five-spot early helps and lets you pound the zone a little bit. I got the curveball to Ortiz -- he's just a strong guy. It was a pretty good pitch, I thought, but that happens. I'm glad it was a 5-1 game instead of a 5-4 game.”
Scott Downs
“One through nine, we don't have a guy in the lineup that is an easy out.”
Matt Foote
“You go from spring training, where you're (in the lineup) here and there and you can't really simulate playing nine innings continually, to having to play 17 games in a row. I think everyone is looking forward to this day off.”
Jason Bay
“To be honest with you, I think last year it maybe was a little bit more potent in the lineup,”
Brandon Backe
